Washington, D.C., is anything but off the beaten path: All American roads, it seems, eventually converge there. But within the city there are little-known treasures and pleasures, and visiting them will mark you as an insider—and a particularly knowing one at that, since even D.C. insiders don’t seem to visit them often.

Exhibit A is the Renwick Gallery, catercorner to the White House and a short walk to the National Mall. Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the Renwick is in a nondescript brick building, a little severe to look at, that seems to say “keep on walking.” But within, and seldom with much company, are wonders, my favorite being the assembled works of the artist George Catlin, who traveled widely among the American Indian nations of the Great Plains and Eastern Woodlands, painting scenes of life and portraits of notable invididuals. The Smithsonian acquired most of his works in 1879, a few years after Catlin’s long life ended, and then tucked them away until eventually finding a home for them at the Renwick.

Exhibit B, within easy walking distance of the Renwick on the other side of the White House, is the Old Post Office. Make your way to the northernmost elevator, and it will take you on a dizzying ride above the big building’s central courtyard to the top. But not quite the top: Now you’ll need to ascend a couple of narrow flights of stairs. And behold: Now you’re at the top of the tower, with a view at a height exceeded only by that of the Washington Monument, the tallest structure in the District, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which is just a few feet taller than the Post Office Tower. Enjoy the view, which extends far into Virginia to the south and Maryland to the north.

Exhibit C is a moveable feast, but my current favorite is the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, tucked off in a quiet, distant corner of the Mall on the shore of the Tidal Basin. The statuary is elegant, the subject noteworthy, the setting an invitation to rest and reflect.

Once you’ve done all that hard work, hop on the Green Line of the Metro—never the subway, not in Washington—and make your way to the U Street stop. Across the street as you leave the station is a local landmark called Ben’s Chili Bowl, where the house sine qua non is a creation called the half smoke, that being a grilled sausage with chili. It’s a simple concoction, but done just right, as Washingtonians have known for a couple of generations now. No one else did, indeed, until very recently, when food writers began to extol Ben’s wonders. Give it a try, and you’ll see why.